6.28 exploration on immigrants in Japan

Today’s topic is on racial issues in Japan. Seems like a very strange topic to me at beginning, because usually Japan is perceived as a racially homogeneous country. However, since I came here I have seen so many people looks foreign but native in Japanese. Thus this topic really explains and examines how the common misunderstanding emerges and immigrant issues in modern Japan. It is interesting to see how Japanese people, and even foreign scholars and immigrants view Japan as ethnically homogeneous, and the definition can be very arbitrary. As John Lie mentioned in the article that, Okinawans are often viewed as Japanese, although someone do admit that they can tell the difference by just appearance. While Ainu people are not considered as Japanese because they live separately, but on the contrast, Korea Japanese may be viewed as Japanese though according to other articles, their nationality is also under debate because they live together with Japanese community. The attitude towards foreign immigrants is also arbitrary, so workers from other Asian countries may be viewed as inferior because long-standing stereotype associated, while white immigrants are somehow exceptions in this judgement.

However, in the following chapters of culture and food, we do tell that many things considered as Japanese is not really "Japanese", there are mix race people in traditional Enka performance and there are foreign ingredients in some national food. So it feels to me is that what defines as Japanese and ethnical homogeneity is really if the thing follows national characteristics and can be assimilated well in the mainstream culture. For example, baseball mentioned in the article, though everyone have to admit it comes from US, but because the sport spirit follows Japanese national characters so it is widely accepted.

Another thing I find interesting in these articles is that how attempt to erase the discrimination can further reinforce discrimination. As John mentioned in his article, that to realize the importance of catching up, one should first acknowledge the backwardness. So similarly, to say we shouldn't have discrimination, is to reinforce the concept that foreign immigrants are viewed inferior in the society. The idea that framing the nation as homogeneous helps maintain stability and unity, is also reflected in the previous lectures on emotions and politics. By claiming the purity of nation and race, people are united under same name, and even immigrants may try to adapt themselves into the system and accept common stereotypes even towards themselves.

But the idea of immigrants, not only from ideological aspects, but also practical perspective, can be problematic. As the report mentioned, employers want immigrants and people who are dual citizens believe such identity gives them extra opportunities. On one hand, their bilingualism and willingness to work hard (for most immigrants) contributes to economy as taxpayers. However, questions about how to judge if they commit crime, how to deal with loyalty and other citizen rights and obligations, is also practical. There is a struggle between boosting economy and maintaining stability, and that is something government need to work on and to find the balanced solution under globalized context.